Thrust-bearing.



A. KINGSBURY.

THE-DST BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 0,1911.

1,1 17,506. Patented N0V.17, 1914b 2 BHEETS-BHEST 1.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR B/IQJ/IQL M Z ATTORNEY A. KINGSBURY.

THRUST BEARING.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9,191L

1,1 17,500., Patented Nov. 17,1914.

2 BIIBETS'BHEBT 2.

INVENTOR wnmassxzs: v

ATTORNEY WITED STATEEi PATENT @FFICE.

ALBERT KINGSBURY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

THRUST-BEARING.

'To all whom it may concern Be it. known that I, ALBERT KINGSBURY, acitizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the;county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Thrust-Bearings, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to thrust bearings which are adapted to sustainrelatively high pressures between the contact surfaces, and it hasspecial reference to bearings which comprise a plurality of radialshoes, so arranged that a film of lubricating fluid is automaticallymaintained between the bearing surfaces.

One object of my invention is to provide a bearing of the aforesaidclass that shall be simple and durable in construction and that shallembody means for not only equalizing the thrust pressure upon the radialshoes of which the bearing is comprised but also for equallydistributing the back pressure exerted on each shoe by its support, inorder to avoid any tendency for the shoes to become distorted inoperation.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 604,715, filed January 26,1911, I have shown and described a thrust bearing having the generalcharacteristics above indicated and provided with means for equalizingthe pressure on the several shoes. Each of the shoes, however, issupported, near its central portion, and consequently there is atendency, when the bearing is called upon to withstand nigh pressures,for the corners of the shoes to bend downwardly, to a slight degree,instead of maintaining a perfectly plane bearing surface.

According to my present invention, I secure, in addition to theadvantages set forth in my prior application, a distribution ofsupporting pressure which precludes the possibility of fiexure ordistortion and somewhat simplifies the structure of the shoes and thebearing.

I will describe my invention in the following specification and pointout the novel features thereof in appended claims.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, is a sectional elevation on theline II of Fig. 2, and Fig. 2 is a plan view, with certain of the partsremoved, of a bearing constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs.3 and 4 are fragmentary views corre- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 9, 1911.

spending to Figs. 1 and 2 of a modified structure embodying myinvention, and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of the structure shownin Figs. 3 and 4.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the structure here showncomprises a relatively stationary support or base 1, an annularchannel-shaped member 2 supported thereon, a rotatable shaft 3 whichextends through a hole 4 in the base 1, a flange or collar 5 mounted onthe shaft and a plurality of contact shoes 6 which are engaged by acontact surface 7 of the flange or collar 5. v

The annular channel-shaped member 2 constitutes a receptacle or a seriesof communicating receptacles, containing, in the form illustrated inFigs. 1 and 2, a large number of small steel balls 8 which have thecharacteristics of a non-compressible fluid and on which the shoes 6 aresupported. The shoes 6 are symmetrically arranged about the shaft 3 andare preferably spaced apart by bridge members 9 which prevent them fromrotating, without interfering with a limited movement of the shoes alongthe channel or into and out of the receptacle or space, in which each islocated.

The shoes together constitute a segmental ring, the segments of whichare spaced apart by the bridge pieces 9 and are held loosely in positionby means of rings 10 and 11. The rings are secured to the member 2 bymeans of screws 12 and extend into annular grooves 13 and 14 of thesegmental ring comprising the shoes.

When large forces are applied through the shaft 3 and flange 5 to theouter surfaces of the shoes 6, the pressure is automatically equalizedbetween them on account of the characteristics ofthe medium on whichthey are supported. Furthermore, the back pressure is e uallydistributed over the bottom surface 0 the shoes so that there is.notendency for them to become deflected or distorted. The shoes may besimultaneously adjusted to take up wear in the bearing surfaces byadjusting the screw plu 15 in the mouth of a pipe or column 16 WlllCl'lcommunicates with the receptacle constituted by the annularchannel-shaped member 2 and is also filled with small steel balls.

While I have shown the channel shaped receptacle inwhich the shoes aresupported, filled with steel balls of relatively small size,

my invention is not restricted in this regard and solid members ofvarious s1zes and shapes or a single cushion of soft rubber or similarelastic material or of plastic material may be substituted within thespirit and scope of my invention, provided the mass is only veryslightly compressible, and at the same time will not flow through smallcracks or openings. In other words, I do not wish to be limited to anyparticular material except that I desire to approximate the action of anon-compressible fluid with out being confronted with the possibility ofleakage and other disadvantages incident to they use of liquids.

The base 1 on which the member 2 is supported is hollow and is providedwith a flange 33 so that it may contain oil or other suitablelubricating fluid. It is further provided with substantially radialgrooves 34 in order to permit the oil to circulate from the middle ofthe hollow base outward through the bearing surfaces and return throughthe grooves.

Referring to Figs. 3, A and 5, the bearing here shown is similar to thatof Figs. 1 and 2, except that a channel-shaped member 17, having nobridge pieces or other spacing members which correspond exactly to themembers 9, is substituted for the member 2 and that shoes 18 aresubstituted for the shoes 6. The shoes 18 are so proportioned as tosubstantially fill the entire opening of the channelshaped member 17,strips or spacers 19 being set in notches 20, cut in the upper surfaceof the shoes at their adjacent edges.

lhe spacers 19 are secured to the walls of the channel-shapedmembers 17by any suitable means, such as screws 21, but they are relatively lightand inexpensive since the pressure which exists in the medium beneaththe shoes is not transmitted to them at any point.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the spacers may be dove-tailed into the wallsof the channelshaped member, rendering the use of screws unnecessary.

In operation the shoes will assume a' slightly tilted position relativeto the bear ing surface of the collar with which they engage and willautomatically maintain a film of oil between the bearing surfaces in accordance with the principles set forth in Patent No. 947,2 grantedJanuary 25, 1910 on an application filed by be May 20, 1907.

It will, of course, be understood that it is immaterial which part ofthe bearing rotates, and, in fact,-either may constitute the rotatingpart or both may be rotatable. Consequently, l have referred to themembers as relatively rotatable.

li claim as my invention:

1. thrust bearing comprising a station ary member having an annularchannel mounted thereon, a medium of small subnuance stantiallynon-compressible solid members in the channel, and a plurality ofbearing shoes mounted loosely in the channel, and buoyed up by themedium oi small solid members. i

2. A bearing comprising a hollow receptacle, 'a substantiallynon-compressible yielding solid medium contained therein, ,a pluralityof bearing members resting on" the yielding solid medium andsubstantially engage the outer surfaces of the shoes.

4. A thrust bearing comprising a channelshaped receptacle having bridgepieces which divide its opening into a series of smaller openings, alarge number of small solid members disposed in the channelshapedreceptacle and constituting a yielding solid medium, pressure contactshoes fitted loosely into the several openings and resting on the smallsolid members and means for holding the shoes against removal andpermitting a limited movement of the shoes into and out of thereceptacle.

5. A thrust bearing comprising a receptacle, a large number of smallsolid members partially filling the receptacle and constituting ayielding medium, a plurality of shoes completely filling the opening inthe receptacle and resting on the small members and means for limitingthe outward movement of the shoes.

'8. A bearing comprising a hollow receptacle containing solid matterconstituting a substantially non-compressible yielding solid medium,contact pressure members resting on said medium and substantiallyfilling the opening of the receptacle and a relatively movablecotiperating pressure member engaging the outer surfaces of thefirst-named pressure members.

7. A thrust bearing comprising a relatively stationary member, anannular channel mounted thereon, a medium of steel balls contained inthe annular channel and a plurality of contact shoes mounted loosely inthe annular channel and buoyed up by the medium of steel balls.

8. A bearing comprising a hollow base or receptacle, a yielding mediumof small steel balls disposed therein, bearing shoes mounted on thesurface of the medium and means for limiting the movement of the bearingshoes independently of the base to a direction substantially at rightangles to the surface of the medium.

9. A bearing comprisin a hollow base or receptacle, a yielding medium offinely divided solid matter disposed therein, bearing shoes mounted onthe surface of the medium and means for limiting the movement of thebearing shoes independently of the base to a direction substantially atright angles to the surface of the medium.

10. A thrust bearing comprising a stationary channel shaped receptacle,a substantially non-compressible yielding solid medium partially fillingthe receptacle, a plurality of contact shoes substantially filling theopening of the channel-shaped receptacle and resting on said medium, anda relatively movable bearing member adapted to cooperate with the shoes.

11. A thrust bearing comprising a channel-shaped receptacle havingbridge pieces which divide its opening into a series of smalleropenings, a. substantially non-compressible yielding solid mediumdisposed in the channel-shaped receptacle, pressure contact shoes fittedloosely into the several openings and resting on said medium and meansfor holding the shoes against removal, arranged to permit a limitedmovement of the shoes into and out of the receptacle.

In testimony whereof, I have'hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day ofMay 1911.

ALBERT KINGSBURY.

Witnesses R. J. DEARBORN, B. B. HINEs.

